Playing educational money games with kids is a great way to teach them about money skills in a playful manner. Moneywise Kids is a game for two players and ideal for kids 7 years and up. There are two different games that can be played, which teach children about money value, budgeting and spending and saving strategies – very important skills to learn when young.

The kids learn about budgeting for everyday expenses, such as food, clothes, living costs etc. It teaches them how to incorporate big bills into their budgets, how to make choices of what is important, the importance of having savings for “rainy days” and lots more money management skills.

Overall, these money games for kids are quick and easy to play. They are basic games with no difficult rules to read up on and understand. The included notes for parents (and teachers) give good pointers on teaching kids about money skills and money management.

The kids have gone to college or are making a living on their own. You have more room than you need in your home. Should you consider finding a smaller home? Here are some considerations before you make that decision.

• Where will you live? – If you are moving to a smaller home in the same area of the city, your tax savings may not change. Property tax rates may be based on the county you live in or the city. Check first to see what if any benefits you will get based on your geographic location.
• How is the housing market? – Right now, it is definitely a buyer’s market. Even if you find a smaller home, you can still enjoy many of the amenities you have now: large kitchen, walk-in closets, porch, and big back yard. Shop around for the most extras for your money.
• Lower mortgage payment – Who wouldn’t enjoy saving money? Check to see what the savings will be each month. If you can find a fixed rate mortgage with a low interest rate that costs you $200 to $300 less a month, you can use that sum for savings or put it towards a vacation.
• Loss of responsibility – This can be a good thing for those who are getting too old to want to mow the grass or worry about the general upkeep of a property, especially if it is large. Consider investing in a condo. Here, your dues go towards general maintenance so you don’t have to deal with it. For some, having one less thing to do is worth it.
• Will it sell? – This is a buyer’s market but you can sell your home and make a profit in many circumstances. Is your home fairly modern? Has it been kept up well? Is it in a good neighborhood? A home with attractive selling points won’t be such an albatross around your neck when and if you make the decision to downsize. Check with a broker first to see what the chances are that they can move your home.
• Lower utility bills – With less space, it will take less energy to heat and cool your home. This is prudent, especially if you have rooms that are not being used anymore because the kids have moved out. This is money you can put in the bank.

Are you looking to downsize your home? The first consideration many have is whether it makes good financial sense to do so. Use the points above to evaluate your position.

There are two parts to Obama’s plan. Loan modification is the first part. The loan modification is not a new loan; rather it is a modification on your current mortgage. If you qualify for the modification, you and your lender will work to establish new terms on your existing mortgage. To qualify for the loan modification you must meet the following conditions:

• Loan must be financed through Freddie Mac or Fannie Mae
• This must be your primary residence
• Mortgage must be originated before January 1, 2009
• There must be an unpaid balance that is equal to or less than $729,750
• Financial hardship must be proven. An affidavit is required
• Your mortgage payment must be more than 38% of your gross income. Your gross income is the amount of money you make prior to taxes being removed

If you meet these conditions, visit your lender today to see if you can qualify for a loan modification on your existing mortgage.

The other part of the Obama plan is the refinancing of your existing mortgage. If you refinance your home, you will be taking on a new mortgage with new terms. Like the modification plan, there are requirements that you must meet in order to be considered.

• The home must be occupied by you, the owner
• Mortgage payments for the past year must have been made on time or no more than 30 days late
• You must have the income to support the new mortgage
• The loan must be financed through Freddie Mac or Fannie Mae
• The mortgage you currently hold must be worth between 80% – 105% of the home’s current market value

If you meet these requirements and you would like to refinance your home, visit your lender to see what can be done.

Although the Obama Refinance and Loan Modification Program is government run, it never hurts to consult your real estate attorney. An attorney can read a contract better than you can and make sure that you are not missing any key points. The program is designed to help existing homeowners save their homes from potential foreclosure.

Feng Shui is about creating a pleasing and harmonious space that attracts positive energy. This energy or Chi comes in two flavors – good and bad. The goal is to create an environment that maximizes good Chi flow. In order to accomplish this goal, practitioners combine art and science in terms of placement.

Getting back to your house, if it is not selling, there may be an overabundance of bad Chi which is turning off potential buyers. You need to reverse that bad Chi and accentuate the positive Chi. Make sense? Good. Let’s continue.

The first thing you need to do is start on the outside of your home and inspect it close up and from a distance. Get a friend to join you so that both of you can compare notes on overall impressions. Is there anything outside that is a turn-off or may cause potential buyers to shy away? Excessive lawn art, landscaping that has not been weeded or the lack of any landscaping can be quite a turn-off. What you may consider precious in terms of your little lawn gnome may really turn off prospective buyers. Create a clean entrance leading to your home that looks inviting.

Keep in mind that good landscaping can increase curb appeal and the asking price of your home. Therefore, if you did not have landscaping before and you want to install it now in order to make your home more attractive for selling, consult with a professional. You cannot afford to waste your time on a potential mistake.

If you don’t really have a front lawn area to speak of, focus on your entry way to create a welcoming look. A well-lit entrance earns kudos and is a major part of Feng Shui. If your entry way is large, display a lush green plant near the entrance or some fresh flowers to brighten the area. Mirrors are a great idea for any hallways leading from the entrance into the home. Feng Shui mirrors help reflect any rushing energy coming from the outdoors and slow it down. However, you do not want to put a mirror just opposite of the front door as that will just bounce back any energy just entering the home, preventing any positive Chi from circulating.

Part of Feng Shui is about reducing the clutter in your life or what might be perceived as clutter by a prospective home buyer. Remove as many knick-knacks as possible and reduce the personal belongings to a bare minimum. By keeping your home looking as clutter-free as possible, the prospective home buyer can see what “could” be if they were to purchase your home. It’s all about the possibilities that the prospect perceives as they are viewing your home.

Dusting is important as well. Dust everything from the ceiling fan blades to the baseboards. Your home may be all about clean lines and less clutter, but if there are dust bunnies chasing your prospective home buyers around, that could be a big turn-off. The same thing applies to animals as well. Since they shed, you will want to clean up any errant fur and keep Fido or Snowball from meandering through your home when prospects are expected.

The kitchen gadgets and appliances should also be kept to a minimum. Too much stuff out on the counters, even if the kitchen is immaculate, can be distracting and look cluttered. And as most people have discovered about Feng Shui, clutter or the perception of clutter is a big no-no. The same principle applies to the bathrooms as well. Put your curling iron, hair dryer and hot rollers out of sight. Put your toiletries in the medicine cabinets or out of site. Invoke a spa type of feel in the bathroom so that prospective home buyers associate the room with relaxation and pampering.

One last trick is to use aromatherapy in your home in anticipation of prospective home buyers coming to walk through your home. The smell of cinnamon alludes to fresh baked goodies. Peppermint or citrus in a home office or family room appeals to the senses and is fresh and clean. Use vanilla or lavender in the bathrooms and master bedroom to simulate a calm and tranquil space.

By taking care of first impressions like landscaping and the front entrance, you have won half the battle in Feng Shui terms. The most important areas you really need to concentrate on are the master bedroom, bathrooms and kitchen. These are the primary concerns of home buyers. If they perceive that they could relax, eat and sleep well in these rooms, then you just might end up with a sold sign outside your home.

Escrow is useful when negotiating large service contracts – for example, when a freelancer wants to receive payment before beginning a project, but the buyer is hesitant to provide payment before seeing the finished work. By using an escrow agency, the payment can be made (reassuring the seller) but not released until specific qualifications are met (reassuring the buyer). Escrow is also very useful for home purchases.

How Escrow Works: Understanding the Escrow Agreement Process

The seller and buyer both open an account with an escrow agency. Payment is made to the escrow agency by the buyer, and the deed, title, or other property is handed over by the seller. The escrow agency acts as a neutral third party, holding both the property and the payment until the necessary qualifications are met. These qualifications are generally laid out in the contract, and may include a home inspection, property renovations, completion of a service, and so on.

When the qualifications are met, payment is released to the seller and the property is released to the buyer. If property is being purchased, the deed or title is then transferred to the buyer’s name.

In all cases, an escrow agency remains a neutral third party. They will not advise either party on the actions that they should take, provide tax advice, or provide legal advice. They simply hold property and payment while other things are negotiated. Knowing this is a crucial part of understanding the escrow process.

What Can an Escrow Agency Do?

• An escrow agency can draw up documents and help negotiate the contract between parties. An escrow agent can also facilitate the contract signing and other paperwork.




• An escrow agency will confirm a clear title or deed. This means that they will check to make sure there are no liens, owed debts, or repossessions pending on the property.




• An escrow agent will help transfer the title or deed into the new owner’s name and file any necessary paperwork to do so with the state, county, and city.




• An escrow agency will receive funds from the buyer, hold them until the contract is fulfilled, and disperse them according to the contract.




• An escrow agency will act as a liaison between the buyer and the seller.

If you are purchasing or selling a large service package, house, car, or other valuable property, it may be wise to consider using an escrow agency. The agency will be able to prevent problems and disputes before they start, by holding money and property and acting as a neutral third party.

By choosing to have an escrow agreement, you can protect your property. You can also save time that you would otherwise spend negotiating and money you might otherwise spend on legal fees. If you are making a large transaction, whether business or personal, escrow simply makes sense.

Here are five ideas to increase the value of your property:

1. Curb appeal. Curb appeal is the immediate charm or personality a home has. Some homes ooze with personality while others don’t get a second look. What’s the difference? Often it’s nothing more than trimming a few bushes and trees and adding some flowers.

   Take a look at the curb appeal of your home. Could it use some improvement? In addition to the landscaping, does your home need a new coat of paint? A new door? What about new hardware on the door and some lighting fixtures? Small touches like a new porch light can make a world of difference.

2. Landscaping. Often our back yard becomes a catch-all. We put our belongings back there. We let the pets hang out back there and our yard becomes neglected. However, with a bit of sprucing up, a backyard can become a sanctuary. A few trees, maybe a deck or a patio and some flowers, and suddenly would-be home owners are picturing themselves hanging out in your back yard.

   Landscaping also doesn’t have to be expensive. With a good plan, you can do much of the work yourself which will save thousands of dollars.

3. Bathroom redo. When people purchase a home there are two main areas they are generally very picky about – the kitchen and the bathroom. Kitchen remodels can be extremely expensive. However, a bathroom often needs just a few simple touches to get tremendous return on investment. Some of the areas to look at improving in your bathroom include:

   * Your tile – make sure the bathroom tile is clean, in good repair, and up to date. Cracked pink tile from the 50s isn’t going to give your home any selling points.

   * Your fixtures – a new bathroom faucet and light fixtures can instantly update a bathroom.

   * Your paint – a neutral paint can clean up a space and make a small bathroom feel larger than it is.

   * Bathtub, sink, and toilet – these can be more expensive fixes. However, you can find great pieces on display at your local home store. Look for overstocks, last year’s models and items that have been returned to get more bang for your buck.

4. The kitchen. A kitchen is often the center of a home. And spending money to upgrade your kitchen almost always increases the value of your property. Updating your counter-tops, appliances, flooring and cupboards generates a good return on investment.

   However, your kitchen may not need a full redo. You can reface or paint cupboards, add tile back-splashes and update hardware to give your kitchen new life.

5. Carpet and paint. One of the easiest ways to increase the value of your home is to repaint the walls a neutral and welcoming color and to replace the carpet. This is something that can be accomplished in a weekend if you hire folks to help. Just remember to repaint the walls before you replace the carpet.

If you’re looking for a good return on investment and want to increase the value of your home, these five items are a good place to start. There are other bigger projects you can look at like adding new windows, building an extension onto your home or adding luxury items like a hot tub or outdoor cooking area. However, it’s always smart to start with the basics and go from there.

So the question is, who is eligible? Are you?

• * You’re eligible if this is your first time buying a home and you enter into a binding contract to buy a home on or before April 30, 2010 and close on the sale by June 30, 2010.
• * You’re also eligible for the full credit of $8,000 if you make less than $125,000 a year for single filers. The original income ceiling was $75,000. Married couples filing jointly can now receive full credit if they make less than $225,000. The original ceiling was $150,000.
• * You also qualify for the credit even if you’ve owned a home before, just not as your principal home during the three years prior to your home purchase.
• * It should also be noted that married couples do not qualify for the credit unless both have not previously owned a home or owned a primary residence in the past three years.
• * You’re only eligible if you’re 18 years or older or your spouse is 18 years or older.
• * The first-time home buyer credit is equal to 10% of your home’s purchase price with a limit of $8,000 and if your home costs more than $80,000, you’re not eligible for the credit.
• * Additionally, if you buy the home from a relative, you’re not eligible for the credit.
• * It should also be noted that military personnel and some federal employees serving outside the country have an additional year to qualify for the credit.
• * If you bought your home at any time during 2009, you can claim the credit when you file your 2009 taxes in 2010. And if you purchased your home on or before November 6, 2009, you can amend your 2008 tax return and claim the credit.
• * Finally, if you purchase a mobile home or trailer they both qualify for the credit, as long as they’re your principal home. Motor homes and RVs do not qualify for the credit.
• * The first time homebuyer credit is paid it’s applied to the taxes you owe, thus lowering your income taxes by up to $8,000. If you are in a low income bracket or income tax exempt, you can still file for the credit and receive it in the form of a refund.

If you haven’t taken advantage of the first-time home buyer credit and are in the market for a new home, you still have time. However, time is running out. Go out and find the home of your dreams!